Let's start from the top. What is radiology? Radiology is the main diagnostic tool for a wide variety of diseases and illnesses. Without radiology, we'd have a hard time diagnosing what's wrong with a patient and how to best treat them. This increased range of diagnostics combined with improved image clarity have made diagnosing more effective more than ever. Hooray, technology!
Let's start from the top with the basics. There are a few different types of radiology you should know about, especially if you're an aspiring medical traveler interested in professional medical imaging.
First, there's diagnostic radiology. As the name suggests, diagnostic radiology are imaging studies used to diagnose diseases and conditions. You've probably heard of this type of radiology with technology like MRIs, X-rays, ultrasounds, CT scans, and barium studies.
Then there's interventional radiology. These are guided by imaging used to correct an underlying disease or condition. This type of radiology is used for a bunch of different reasons, like for:
Additionally, radiation oncology is another type of radiology. As you may have guessed, this type specifically treats cancer in patients using radiation. Within this field, techs work with high doses of radiation to shrink patient tumors through a series of visits for short intervals.
But the fun doesn't stop there! If you dig even deeper within diagnostic and interventional radiology, you'll find sub-specialties. And once you take a peek at these top sub-specialties, you'll know what we mean when we say radiology is really rad.
Neuroradiology (try saying that five times fast) works to diagnose and treat brain, sinus, spine, neck, and central nervous system diseases related to aging and degenerative disease, seizures, strokes, cancers, cerebrovascular diseases, and other trauma. This imaging technique commonly includes angiography, myelography, and MRIs.
Vascular and interventional radiology work to diagnose and treat diseases using various imaging technologies. This approach includes fluoroscopy, MRI, CT, and sonography. Some of the therapies include embolization, angioplasty, stent placement, and thrombolysis.
Kiddos have their own radiology professional who specializes in pediatric radiology. This imaging is related to diagnosing, caring for, and managing congenital abnormalities and infant/child-specific diseases.
Which specialty will you choose when you become a badass radiologist? Decisions, decisions.
Now that you have a better idea of what radiology is and the different types of radiologists, you should know what these diagnostic tests look for. Luckily, the University of Virginia health system created a helpful infographic explaining the different types of imaging tests and what they are used for. To make it easy on you, we combined what we learned:
So, you know all the different types of radiology and some fun facts about diagnostic tests. Now you may be wondering which specialties are the most popular for soon-to-be imagining professionals like yourself.
Great inquiry! According to the Pima Medical Institute, the top six radiography specialties are (in this order):
Now, if you're thinking, "Why are these the most popular radiology specialties?", fear not. We have the answer!
Often, the most popular modalities become an aspiring imaging professional's choice because of the wide breadth of career opportunities available to them. These specialties can be applied to a variety of different med settings, including hospitals and outpatient centers, so you can choose what kind of environment works best for you. It's also common for imaging professionals to specialize in several different modalities because picking one can be a challenge. The world is your oyster, imaging wizard.
Are you ready to take your radiology skills on the road? Do you have an itch to travel the country and help others along the way? Then you're in the right place!
We know you're a master when it comes to the behind-the-scenes photo fame of the medical world. But, we're experts on what goes on behind the curtain of medical travel. I don't know about you, but so far, it sounds like this relationship is meant to be. Can you say a match made in Heaven?
Take your career to the next level as a Fusion Medical Staffing radiology traveler and reach goals you've always dreamed of. Cross scenic travel destinations off your bucket list as you raise the standard for exceptional patient care and enjoy the lifelong memories made along the way.
You have a lot going for you as a Fusion traveler. Not only do you have complete control over your med travel career, you're also fully covered in every way. Need health insurance? Got it. Looking for certification reimbursement? Check. Is a 401k retirement plan a priority? We got you, traveler. Because we know and value your health and wellbeing. Life is simply less stressful when you know you're covered, and that's a fact.
Sure, radiology is, in fact, X-rays and MRI scans, but now we know that there's so much more to this modality. Without it, we'd have no way of knowing what the heck was happening with our insides and consequently, no concrete way to diagnose a patient.
The bright side is there's folk like you! In fact, there are more than 36,000 radiology professionals in the U.S. and every one is vital to fight against the shortage of medical workers. Set yourself apart from the crowd and travel with Fusion!